Retirement Humor

The following books take a light-hearted, humorous approach to the stressful subjects of aging and retirement. Entertaining, funny, “quick” reads, they also make us think about the more serious aspects of difficult life transitions.


1. Middle Age Spread: A For Better Or For Worse Collection, Lynn Johnston; Andrews McMeel Publishing; 1998.

2. Over-The-Hill And Lovin’ It!, Ed Fischer and Bruce Lansky (Editor), Meadowbrook Press; 2009.

3. Over The Hill And On A Roll: Laugh Lines For The Better Half Of Life, Bob Phillips; Harvest House Publishers; 2010.

4. Senior’s Discount: A For Better Or For Worse Collection, Lynn Johnston; Andrews McMeel Publishing; 2007.

5. What You Don’t Know About Retirement…: A Funny Retirement Quiz, Bill Dodds and Steve Mark (Illustrator); Meadowbrook Press; 2000.

6. What’s So Funny About Getting Old?, Ed Fischer and Jane Thomas Noland; Meadowbrook Press; 1994.

Retirement/Living/Lifestyle

When it comes to retirement planning, the need for emotional and mental preparation is often neglected or, at the very least, marginalized. Successful retirement planning utilizes an integrated approach; one which emphasizes the “total” person. Planning for life in retirement does not merely consist of financial decisions. Retirement is a complex mental, emotional and social transition. It can be an exceedingly stressful adjustment. Emotion, personal experiences and expectations play a huge and decisive role. How well or how poorly we are able to meet the challenges of life in retirement will, in large part, be an outcome of our attitudes and reactions to those very challenges. Although every individual situation is unique, there are some common concerns shared by those approaching retirement. What will I do with all the free time once I retire? Will I get bored in retirement? Will I miss my job and co-workers? Will I feel lonely? Will I miss not having to keep to a schedule? What new challenges will I face in retirement? What kind of life can I build for myself? How can I find meaning and purpose in this next new phase of my life? These are just some of the questions we may ponder as we near retirement. Being able to create and sustain an emotionally fulfilling life in retirement requires coming up with a flexible “retirement game plan”; one which is uniquely crafted to our temperament, needs, interests, goals and personal situation. The following titles encompass a variety of perspectives on the personal, emotional, mental and social challenges of building a fulfilling life in retirement.

1. A New Purpose: Redefining Money, Family, Work, Retirement, And Success, Ken Dychtwald and Daniel J. Kadlec; HarperCollins Publishers; 2010.

2. How To Love Your Retirement: The Guide To The Best Of Your Life, Barbara Waxman; Hundreds Of Heads Books; 2nd edition; 2010.

3. Retire Happy: What You Can Do Now To Guarantee A Great Retirement, Richard Stim and Ralph Warner; NOLO; 2008.

4. The Joy Of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, And The Life You’ve Always Wanted, David C. Borchard and Patricia A. Donohoe; AMACOM; 2008.

5. Your Retirement, Your Way: Why It Takes More Than Money To Live Your Dream, Alan Bernstein and John Trauth; McGraw Hill Companies; 2006.


For informational purposes only and not intended as advice. The writer is not affiliated with the authors and publishers.